Nucleic acid amplification methods permit selected amplification and identification of nucleic acids of interest from a complex mixture, such as a biological sample. To detect a nucleic acid in a biological sample, the biological sample is typically processed to isolate nucleic acids from other components of the biological sample and other agents that may interfere with the nucleic acid and/or amplification. Following isolation of the nucleic acid of interest from the biological sample, the nucleic acid of interest can be amplified, via, for example, amplification methods known in the art, such as thermal cycling based approaches (e.g., polymerase chain reaction (PCR)). Following amplification of the nucleic acid of interest, the products of amplification can be detected and the results of detection interpreted by an end-user. The extraction of nucleic acid from a biological sample prior to amplification of the nucleic acid, however, can be time consuming, resulting in a reduced time efficiency for the process as a whole.
Point-of-care (POC) testing has the potential to improve the detection and management of infectious diseases in resource-limited settings with poor laboratory infrastructure, or in remote areas where there are delays in the receipt of laboratory results and potential complications to following up with patients. POC testing also could render state of the art health care facilities more capable of delivering sample-to-answer results to patients during a single visit. Inefficiencies in POC methods and devices, however, limit what can be achieved. For example, preparation of nucleic acids (e.g., of a pathogen) from complex sample types (e.g., biological samples) entails highly skilled personnel, in a dedicated laboratory space, to manually perform multiple processing steps and subsequent testing, with reporting of results often occurring hours or even days later.
Thus, there exists a need for rapid, accurate methods and devices for analyzing nucleic acids from complex sample types. Such methods and devices may be useful, for example, in realizing fast sample-to-answer detection and management of diseases detectable via their nucleic acid.